Color photograph or film and method of producing same



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COLOR PHOTOGRAPH 0R FILM AND METHOI? OF PRODUCING SAME Filed 001;. 29, 192G Z25 .jQ Edy. ,6, 5E1 zz INVENTORJ graphs or films andmethod of pro Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES FREDERIC EUGENE IVES, OF PHILADELPH FENNINGER, TRUSTEE, OF

IA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 CARL W.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

coLo'n rn'oroemn on FILM AND METHOD or rnonocme SAME.

Application filed October 2 This invention relates to color photouclng same. The invention involves both the arts of color photography and motion pictures and constitutes an improvement in both arts.

In its broad aspect the object of the invention is to afford a simple, efl'ective and convenient mode of producing a multicolor picture or print, and one which will be less complicated and uicker to carry out and yield a better product, having superior and more permanent coloring. More particularly, an object is to produce two, by which I mean at least two, differently colored images, to be successively produced and blended in the same member or carrier, thus obviating'the necessity of attaching independentl produced members. It is an advantage of tile present invention that the imagesmay be produced within thebody of a single colloid layer which is the plan referred to in in prior Patents Nos. 1,17 0,540 of February 8t1, 1916, and 1,278,668 of September 10th, 1918. The present invention improves and quickens the process ofsaid prior patents and aifords a superior resulting product. These are some of the advantages and ob jects of the present invention, and further objects and advantages will be elucidated in the hereinafter following description or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

To the attainment of the above'referred to objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel processes, steps and roducts hereinafter described. First will .iie described one or more embodiments of the invention, and thereafter the novel features will be pointed out in the claims.

Two or more simultaneously exposed views or series of views will be supposed to have been taken from substantiallya single viewpoint for the pur ose of-securing color selection negatives rom which afterward the positives or diapo'sitives are to be made. The two-color system will be supposed to be employed, for, although the three-color system might be used, the two-color is eminently more simple and i for general practical purposes.

In exposing for the view or series of views constituting the subject, there may be a red screen interposed in the path of the light rays or in some other way a selection of the red rays made, and in connection therewith s sutficiently satisfactory th 9, 1920. Serial No. 420,431.

a film sensitized especially for red rays may be employed. Thus red-selection negatives are obtained. Similarly a green screen and green sensitive film may be employed for securing green-selection negatives.

In my said prior Patent N 0. 1,278,668 the first exposure was made through the transparent celluloid base of the receiving print member from the green-representing negative, thus producing a silver image at the Interior side of the gelatin layer WhlCh afterwards was toned to a red color; and, subsequently, from the red representin ne ative the second printing was performe at t e exterior surface of the gelatin for producing a. blue-to-green image. One of the negatives, the first one, was'a reversed negative so that the two images, printed from opposite sides, would properly register. After the formation of the first or interior image, the elatin layer was re uired to be resensitized or the printing of t e second image. It was resensitized by the iron process, giving eventually the blue-to-green image desired. The color toning of the first image was described as following the production of the second image. This process while efficient and giving good results was somewhat slow and therefore disadvantageous from a practical standpoint. Especially it was slow in regard to the steps of resensitizing and producing the second or exterior image. The present invention gives a much uicker and more satisfactory procedure and product.

The present invention in part may be illustrated by diagrams. In the accompanying drawings showing one mode of employing the principles of the present invention, Fig. 1 may be considered a side elevation of a red-representing negative facing downward.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a green-representing'negative facing downward.

Fig. 3 represents a sensitized colloid film facing upward and on which the final picture is to be produced.

Fig. 4 illustrates the step of printing from e red-representing negative upon the, film. Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale is a sectional view of the film or print after the production of the first image.

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the step of printing from the green-representin negative to form the second image in the Im.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section showing the final print or picture containing both images.

The present invention may be conveniently carried out in the manner which will 'now be specifically described. Assuming the twocolor system, we commence with a set of color selection negatives 10 and 11. The first negative 10 may, for example, represent the red components of the picture and the negative 11 the green components. Eventually the final picture will include a blue-togreen positive image from the first or redrepresenting negative, and a red image from the green-representing negative. One of the two negatives 10 or 11 is preferably a reversed negative, for example, the red-representing negative 10 which may be used for rear exposure through the carrier of the print, as will subsequently be described. p

The print or film 12 in which the positlve images are to be formed and blended comprises colloid portions 13 supported preferably on a transparent or celluloid carrier 14. The first step in the process is to expose by means of the first negative and form an image at one surface of the colloid portion of the print or film member 12. It is to be assumed that the colloid layer 13 is sensitized with a silver halide. The first printing is preferably by the red-representing negative 10, and, as shown in Fig. 4, this negative is used in such a way as to effect the exposure at the rear or through the carrier 14, so that the resulting image will be confined largely to that side of the gelatin layer which is next to its carrier, and may lpe referred to as the bottom or interior surace.

Havin been exposed, the silver image may .be developed and will be found to be confined to the interior surface of the gelatin in a manner that will be roughly understood from the enlarged cross-section, Fig. 5, in which the colloid layer 13 is shown as having a silver image 15 at its'bottom side with a mass of gelatin 16 filled with silver bromid extending between the image and the top surface.

The general plan of the present improvement is to first produce a bottom or interior image 15 from the red-representing negative, as already stated, and then convert it to a blue-to-green image by any suitable ste s such as those hereinafter described. This is contrary to said prior Patent 1,278,668 wherein the first or interior image is produced from the green-representing negative and converted to a red colored positive. The next step of the present invention is the converting or reconverting of the silver base to silver romid instead of dissolving it out as previously practiced. When the first or blue-to-green image is produced by the iron process a base of silver ferrocyanid remains, and hereinafter will be specifically described how this may be converted to silver bromid. The next operation is the production of the second image by the use of the green-representing negative for exposure at the outer or top side of the gelatin, as shown in Fig, 6. The image is printed in the sensitive silver oromid, and upon development gives normal gradations of density. Fig. 7 shows the second image 17 at'the top surface of the gelatin. Finally this second image is to be toned or converted to'a red color, .thus completing the process. The novel method thus described in general outline is found to be capable of quite perfectly overcoming thefvarious recited objections and other objections that have rendered of little or no practical value the prior attempts of others. The mere outline of the present process is itself insuflicient to secure the best results without a more detailed description and, therefore, there'will now be recited a complete specification of a practical rocess, including certain precautions that s ould be taken to insure against-interference by one image or process'with the production of the other image. 7

Assuming two-color cinematograph films are to be made b this invention, we may start with reverse negatives 10 and 11 such as made by the method of my United States Patent No. 1,320,760, of November 4, 1919, and the final pictures 12 may be produced on ordinary standard cinematograph positive film.

First, the red-representing negative 10 is used to print through the carrier 14 ofthe print or film 12 as shown in Fig. 4, as already stated. The exposed film 12 is developed by ordinary means, such as the well known metol-hydroquinon (monomethylaramidophenolsulphate para dihydroxy- Benzene) developer. One minute washing should .follow. The print should then be immersed for two minutes in:

Solution A.

Water, 460 c. 0.; formaldehyde, 8 c. c.

After washing for a few minutes in water the print should be immersed in the following blue or iron toning solution:

Solution B.

Water, 460 c. c.; oxalic acid, 3.24 grams; potassium ferricyanid, 1 gram; ferric chlorid solution. U. S. P., 16 c.-c.; potassium bromid, 0.032 gram.

The print 1s to stay in this. solution until the action is seen-t0 be complete by examination of the deepest shadows by reflected Ind the second or red image herein. It is found to be irregular, occurring more substantially above the denser places, but it is rendered inappreciable by the use of the described quick toning action, which also minimizes other objections, without detriment to the color of the blue-to-green image. Immediate and thorough washing after the toning further minimizes the hardening action.

After such conversion of the first silver image to a cyanotype image, and after washing, the print will have its sensitiveness restored by treatment with a suitable halogenizer, such as a salt of bromine in solution. For this purpose the print is immersed for thirty minutes or longer in the following:

Solution 0'.

Water, 460 c. c.; sodium chlorid, 1.3 grams; potassium bromid, 4 grams; hydrochloric acid, 7 c. 0.

During this and subsequent operations the film must be protected from actinic light. The bath acts toconvert the silver ferrocy anid base of the blue print to silverbromid, thus restorin evenness of sensitiv-eness to the print. T e bath further eliminatesthe effects of the previous exposure to light, and equalizes the sensitiveness of all the contained silver bromid. Theprint should next be thoroughly washed in running water. It should then be dried, for example by hanging in a dry dark room.

The resensitized print may next be exposed beneath the green-representing negative 11, as in Fig. 6. The negative should be exactly registered upon the blue image. When done visually, a green safe light is better and gives less difliculty than a red or orange one; but this and other mechanical steps may be performed automatically by suitable appliances.

After the second exposure follows a second development of the silver image. This development should be timed, and need seldom exceed one: minute with a normal devel-' oper, this quick action avoiding injurious effects u on the first image, at the interior surface 0 the colloid. The blue image may disappear during this step but gradually redevelops its color and intensity in subsequent operations it the second development has not been injuriously prolonged.

There are now two images, one at each surface of the gelatin, the first blue to-green, converted from a silver image, and the second a silver image awaiting conversion to red. By red is meant any sort of red, as conditions may require, including an orange red, or yellow-to-red dichroic image as heretofore proposed by me for this purpose. Many well known toning and converting processes may be used to produce the red color in the second or exterior image.

For example, I prefer to use a copper toning process, such as suggested for the first image in said Patent No. 1,278,668, but the bath may be made up of the following:

Sohttz'on D.

)Vater, 1000 c. 0.; cupric sulfate, 7 grams; potasslum citrate, neutral, 28 grams.

Solution E.

Water, 1000 c. c.; potassium ferricyanid, 6 grams; potassium citrate, neutral, 28 grams.

Solutions D and E should be mixed in equal parts for the toning bath. A drop of acetic acid may be advisable, as the bath should be strictly neutral or slightly acid. A few minutes sufiices to tone the second silvcr lmage to a copper red color.

Preferably the copperred color is strengthened or modified bydye to give the desired tone of red or red-to-yellow. The copper image is capable of selectively mordantmg certain dyes, available forthis purpose. For example, the copper toned image, after washing. may be immersed in the following:

.SoZutzTon F.

\Vater, 1000 c. c.; phenosailranin (red dye), 1 gram; auramine (yellow dye), 2 grams; acetic acid, 15 c. c. In this solution phenosafi'ranin equals diamidolphenylphena-- zoniun1 chlorid, and auramin equals amidotetramethyldiamidodiphenylmethane hydrochlorid.

I In lieu of this bath it is sometimes advantageous to dye first in a red bath, and then in a yellow one until the yellow color replaces the red in the lighter shades, after which washing clears' all dye out of the white parts of the picture, and after drying the product is finished. In any case the depth of color should be regulated to accord with the image already produced, and this is satisfactorily done by attention to the strengths of the dye bath, time of immersion, and amount of subsequent washing.

The process thus described is suitable for negatives such as would be chosen for printing upon a contrast gas-light paper. If the ne atives 10 and 11 be too dense, good results can yet be obtained by using a print member in which the gelatin is saturated with a non-actinic (yellow) dye to control the penetration of the light of exposure, a step described in prior Patent No. 1,186,000 of June 6, 1916.

This application is particularly directed to species not claimed in my copcnding Patent No. 1,538,816 of May 19, 1925, to which the generic claims were transferred herefrom, and which constitutes a. continuation graph or motion picture film, also a method of producing it, have been described, which embody the principles and attain the objects of the present invention. Since matters of procedure, manipulation, ingredients, arrangement, combination, and other features, may be variously modified without departing from the underlying principles, it is not desired to limit the invention except in so far as specified in the appended claims.

lVh-at is claimed is:

1. A color photograph or film comprising a. carrier supporting a colloid layer and said layer containing a blue-to-green chemically toned silver image produced at its interior surface, next to the carrier, and a red image produced at its outer surface.

2. A color photograph or film as in claim 1 and wherein the interior image is a blueto-green pigment image and the exterior image is a red image, each derived from the original sensitive silver salt and color converted.

3. A photographic transparency in substantially natural colors comprising a transparent support carrying in a single colloid 1m thereon two differently colored superimposed registered images containing com- Elementary color values, one of which is a lue-to-g'reen chemically toned silver image at the side adjacent to the carrier, and the other a red image at the outer face, and each derived from sensitive silver salt originally contained in'said film.

. 4. Method of producing blended images in a colloid layer upon a carrier consisting in first producing a silver image at the side adjacent the carrier, and chemically toning it to a blue-to-green pigment image, followed by the roduction of a red image at the exterior si e, in register with the blue-to green image.

5. Method of producin a color photograph or film in a colloid layer upon a carrier consisting in making an image in the layer adjacent the carrier by exposure of a layer sensitized with silver bromid, developing such image, color-toning such image by a process producing silver ferroeyanid, treating the same to reconvert the silver salt to silver bromid, thus restoring sensitiveness, making a second image by expo sure at the exterior surface of the same layer, and developing and converting the second image to a color difierent from that of the first image.

6. In the process of producing two images in the opposite surfaces of a single layer of colloid emulsion by successive printings with intermediate development and conversion of the first image, restoring the evenness of sensitivity throughout the body of the layer after the development and conversion of the first ima e by reconverting to a sensitive silver salt t e insensitive silver compound that formed the basis of the first image, so that the second image can be exposed and developed from a uniform emulsion to yield normal gradations.

7. In the production of color prints in a sin gle colloid layer on a transparent carrier, printing a silver image from a red record negative through the carrier, developing it as a silver image adjacent to the carrier, converting it to a pigment blue-to-green print by chemical treatment, and subsequently producing a red image in registry therewith by exposure through a negative from the outer surface of the same colloid layer.

8. Method of producing a color photograph or film by blending different colored images within the same colloid layer .upon a suitable carrier consisting in making each of said respective images by the action of light upon a silver halide followed. by development and conversion to color images, wherein the first image is color converted from silver by a process producing a ferrocyanid compound, and thereafter submitting such ferrocyanid compound to the action of a halogenizer to convert it to a light-sensitire silver salt, then exposing and developing and converting to a different color another image in the opposite face of the colloid layer.

9. Method of producing a color photograph by blending dilferently colored ima s within the same colloid layer upon a suita le carrier consisting in making each of said respective images by the action of light upon a silver halide followed by development and conversion to color images, image is printed through the carrier, then color converted from silver by a process producing a ferrocyanid compound, and thereafter submitting such ferrocyanid compound wherein the first to the action of a hclogenizer to convert 1t to a light=sensitive silver salt, then exposing and developing and converting to a different color another image in the opposite face of the colloid layer.

10. Method of producing a color photograph or film blending differently colored images Within the same colloid layer upon a suitable carrier consisting in making each of said respective images by the action of light upon a silver halide followed by development and conversion to color images. where in the first image is color converted from silver by a process producing a ferrocyanid compound, and thereafter submitting such ferrocyanid compound to the action of a halogenizer to convert it to a light-sensitive silver salt, then ex osing and developing and converting to a di erent color another image in the opposite face of the colloid layer.

11. Method of producing a color photograph or film b blending differently colored images wit in the same colloid layer upon a suitable carrier consisting in making images within. the same colloid memes each of said respective images by the action of light upon a silver halide followed by the development and conversion to color images, wherein the first image is printed through the carrier, then color converted from silver by a process producing a. ferrocyanid compound, and thereafter submittingsuch ferrocyanid compound to the action of a. halogenizer, to convert it to alight-sensitive silver salt, then exposing and devoloping and converting to a different color another unage in the opposite face of the colloid layer.

12. A method of producing a color photograph or film by blending differently colored layer upon a, suitable carrier consisting in first producing n silver image and converting it to a pigment image at the interior surface of the colloid layer before exposure for the second image and then producing a. second silver image by exposure and development and converting it to an image of another color at the ex terior surface of the colloid layer.

130 A. method of producing a. color photograph or film by blending differently colored images within the same colloid layer upon a suitable carrier consisting in first producing 11 silver image and converting it to a blue-togreen pigment image at the interior surface of the colloid layer before exposure for the second image, and then producing a second silver image by exposure and development,

and converting it to a. red image at the exterior surface of the colloid layer.

In testimony whereof, I have afixed my signature hereto,

FREDERIC E IVES. 

